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From: swatt@ittvax.UUCP (Alan S. Watt)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Power corrupts?  A note.
Message-ID: <1207@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Dec-83 09:49:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ittvax.1207
Posted: Fri Dec 30 09:49:50 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Dec-83 00:57:11 EST
References: wu1.219
Lines: 19

I'm sorry, but after reading your note, I still think the author of
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" (Victor Hugo?
Disraeli?) is the wiser one.  It is a common fallacy to believe that
all we need to do is give power to "intelligent people of good will
...".  The reasons why this is a fallacy have to do with the inherent
diversity of human interests; those in power will exercise that power
to gain what they perceive to be their interests.  If your interests
happen to coincide, you will probably be happy with their actions;
otherwise probably not.

Talleyrand once defined the goal of diplomacy as ".. an equality of
dissatisfaction", which acknowledges inherently irreconcilable differences
in interest.

It is very tempting to view politics as just one more "problem" to be
solved by scientific method, high-tech, EST, reading dynamics, liberal
education, or whatever, but it just ain't so.

	- Alan S. Watt